Friday, 16 September 2016

Drawing Tuesday: Making,Unmaking at Camden Arts Centre

A new venue for Drawing Tuesday this week: Camden Arts Centre with it's cool galleries and shady garden was a good choice on what turned out to be the hottest day of the year! We started out in the garden with coffee , explored the fascinating exhibition Making , Unmaking then had a leisurely lunch. I only made one drawing ( above) in my A4 'museum' sketchbook, using instead my A5 'exhibition' sketchbook where I made my usual notes and scribbles on pieces of work I liked (no photography was allowed) .

Several of us were fascinated by the cabinet containing plates from the book 'Tapis modernes' 1928 H Ernst , if I'd had more time I'd have copied some of the designs. I loved a poster of 'Faccine' by Boetti exploring the elongated hexagon as a face - definitely quilt possibilities there! This version was black and white but it looks like an early example of a 'colouring in' poster

Polly Apfelbaum was a new name to me but what interesting work she has on her webpage , including several photos of the exhibition as a whole. I loved the spray painted alphabet, and it's juxtaposition with some antique African textiles. In the photo below you can see a large new painting by Lisa Brice in different tones of blue with glimpses of figures and counterchange of lights and darks , very effective.

In a more subdued palette, there were several interesting and thought provoking pieces hung alongside paintings and weavings by Ani Albers ( whose work was a revelation in the 'Adventures of a Black Square ')

This is actually a shaved fur coat which I have very mixed feelings about but the lines where the pelts were sown together makes a strong abstract piece. His other work looks intriguing too

I spent some time drawing this piece by Rebecca Ward with it's painted thread and subtle tones of canvas and the shadows of the canvas stretchers showing through. On her website, it's hung the other way which gives a completely different feeling.

This monumental hemp sculpture was also unsettling - her work is new to me but again worth exploring further.

So much to see and enjoy , I can see why Margaret C has been 3 times but it closes this weekend. It included lots of old African textiles - I've got quite a few myself, including kuba cloth and reminded me I must hang them back in my studio for inspiration and attempt to draw them , it's the best way to analyse the patterns and structures

But today I'm off to Margate to see last days of exhibition at Turner Contemporary ( thanks to Olga for the review and prompt). I was going to take my new bike on the train as it's quite a trek from the station but with torrential rain forecast, perhaps not...
(UPDATE: Margate plans abandoned due to rain - got wet through halfway to station! Maybe next week )